Tour de Mad Dog History

Short history of the Mad Dogs

The First (Big) Mad Dog ride

The first, and last, "Big Dog" ride was on Saturday, January 13, 2001. The schedule read:

8:00 am, 100 mi. #3, Eddie's Big Dog January Century, Boston Store, Boston KY. Enjoy an unexpected break from the winter blahs with a leisurely century over a portion of the famous WACKY route. No drop policy will be strictly enforced on this ride. RC: Eddie Doerr and Michael Pitt.

2nd Mad Dog ride

The first time a Mad Dog ride was mentioned on the KyCyclist was Wednesday, Jan 31, 2001 when the following ride was announced.

Sunday, February 11, 2001 8:00 am, 100 miles # 3. Eddie's Mad Dog February Century #2. Boston Store, Boston, KY. Join us for a leisurely century over one of our favorite routes - part of the famous WACKY tour route from Boston to Munfordville and back. This is the second in Eddie Doerr's 2001 Mad Dog Century series. We'll ride in any temperature. Only ice or snow will cancel the ride. No drop policy. RC: Eddie Doerr and Michael Pitt.

Mad Dog McDoerr Century #3

Saturday, March 17, St. Patrick's Day, 2001, was the first time riders were lured with a reward of free chocolate. The schedule read:

8:30 am, 30/60/100 mi. #3. E.P. “Tom” Sawyer State Park. RCs: Eddie Doerr and Mike Pitt. These ride captains have a no-drop policy on the century, and free chocolate will be dispensed!

Mad Dog Century #4

Sunday, April 8, 2001, 9:00 am, 30/60/100 mi. #3/4. Iroquois Park. - dogs chasing Rooster Run. RC: Mike Pitt.

The Mad Dog concept didn't immediately catch on, there were a couple of other centuries that April, and throughout the year, that were not labeled Mad Dog centuries.

5th Mad Dog ride

Saturday, May 19, 2001, 7:30 am, 105 mi. #3. Mad Dog Mammoth Cave Overnight Century. Floyd’s Fork Park (park behind Hatmakers Convenience Store on KY 155 and Pope Lick Road.) New route, lunch at Stewart's in Hodgenville. No drop policy enforced. RC: Michael Pitt.

6th Mad Dog ride

Saturday, June 9, 2001, 8:30 am, 27/63/100 mi. #3. Green River Century. Gosser Fine Arts Center, Campbellsville University. Special Campbellsville edition of the Mad Dog Century series. New route on picturesque country roads in and around Green River Reservoir (laid out by Jim Moore in Campbellsville). RC: Michael Pitt.

The past is history

By late 2001 most of those participating had chosen, or had been given, monikers such as Waldo, Pan the Goat, Lemon Boy, UltraMadDog, Mrs. Mad Dog, Choo Choo, Curly, Grizzly, Daisy, Horse, Mule, Rossini, Gnarly Bones, Stealth, Gizmo, Art Dog, etc. etc. etc. The Mad Dog theme had finally stuck and the centuries continued throughout the next two years.

Dawn of a new era

On December 20, 2003 the rules for 2004 Tour de Mad Dog Challenge had been written and were presented by the LBC VP Touring, Tim Chilton. A 6-mile Prologue on Sunday, March 7th, 2004 kicked it all off, followed up on Saturday, March 27th with the first of the 20 stage centuries.

The 2004 Mad Dog challenge was an overwhelmingly successful, with 59 people participating in the centuries. Medals were awarded to each of the first place finishers after each stage.

The course that started off The Tour, the "Dishonest Abe Mad Dog Century", was also the final course for Stage 20 on Sunday, October 31st.

22 people successfully completed The 2004Tour de Mad Dog Challenge. The TDMD launched a new era for the Mad Dogs, measuring both sportsmanship and a bit of luck.

Louisville Bicycle Club

One of the oldest bicycling clubs in the United States has roots that date to the late 1890s. The Louisville Bicycle Club, known from the 1957 until 1996 as "The Louisville Wheelmen", has been one of the most active and progressive clubs in the midwest. The Mad Dogs are members of the LBC and abide by the rules of the organization.